Bundesliga club Stuttgart name Tim Walter as new head coach

In a statement released by Stuttgart on Monday the club said Tim Walter had joined the club on a two-year contract. Thomas Hitzlsperger, Stuttgart's board member in charge of sport, said Walter, who coached Holstein Kiel to a sixth-place finish in the second division this past season, promised to be a good fit due to his preference for attacking football and his knack for working with young players.

"Together we want to put a greater emphasis on working with our own youth players and Tim Walter brings with him a great deal of experience in this area," Hitzlsperger said.

For his part, the 43-year-old Walter, who prior to taking over at Kiel had worked in the youth programs at both Bayern Munich and Karlsruhe, said he was looking forward to being part of a "positive development" at the club, which has a long history, but has fallen on hard times in recent years.

This is just the latest change that Hitzlsperger has made since taking his post earlier this year. Just last month, Stuttgart hired the highly regarded Sven Mislintat as sporting director.

Walter has signed on with the club even though it isn't yet clear whether they will be in the top tier next season. Having finished third-last this season. Stuttgart are to face Union Berlin, who finished third from the top in the second division, in a two-legged playoff to determine which of the two will play in the Bundesliga in 2019-20. Interim coach Nico Willig is to be in charge for both matches; on Thursday evening in Stuttgart and on Monday in Berlin.

pfd/em (dpa, SID)